Brocton 0 - 0 Quorn

Midland Football League Premier Division

It was Brocton who settled first in this match and Sam Bell, restored to the number 9 position, soon got beyond the Quorn back line. Bell cut the ball back and his swift cross found Gary Fife, who headed over the bar. Visiting keeper Laurie Pearson produced the first of what would be a string of fine saves, this one with his legs after Bell had drifted right and got a good cross for Fife. Fife’s shot was on target but Pearson kept it out.

Good pressure by the Badgers saw first Jamie Evans on the left and later Jack Edwards on the right, put in telling crosses. Solid defending kept Brocton at bay although there was a certain amount of good fortune in the final save as the ball cannoned off a defender straight to the welcoming arms of Pearson.

Despite Brocton’s early pressure they could not find the net and Quorn looked dangerous on the break. It was only a timely tackle by Dave Abelwhite that prevented the home side falling behind.

A free kick gave Quorn another opportunity as Liam Turner timed his dart through the back line to perfection but his prod at goal was turned for a corner which came to nothing.

By contrast a Brocton corner caused some concern at the heart of Quorn’s box with Pearson punching, but getting little distance. A second corner in quick succession ran to Bell and Pearson this time punched Bell’s shot for a third corner,

That was beaten away and once again Quorn’s quick break in numbers had Brocton back pedalling. Kumbirai Mutamba’s pace took him through but Calum Barrett closed down and whilst Mutamba got a chipped shot away, it was hasty and cleared the bar as well as Barrett.

Bell completed an entertaining half with a shot, saved well down to his left, by Pearson.

Although Quorn began the second half the better, it was combination play between Fife and Bell which produced the first attempt at goal. Bell got in a sharp cross towards Fife after Fife had put him through, but Mario Lopez did well to intercept. Jack Edwards then showed good strength to hold off two defenders and get in a right sided cross and this time Bell’s shot brought a full length save from Pearson and in a breathtakingly quick counter Mutamba brought a similar save from Barrett.

Then Fife found space and time on the right edge of the box. He could neither quite find an angle for the shot nor for a telling cross and credit to an alert defence for limiting his options so smartly.

Barrett then had to make a full length save and Matt Dockerty followed that with a clearance from behind Barrett as an attempted punt downfield threatened to be returned with a goal bound shot. As the whistle for time approached Dave Berks tried to place a shot, when a forward foray by Ed Booth had put him in front of goal but it was saved yet again by Pearson, and that was the end of the action with both teams satisfiled with a point.